title: Caudal anesthesia for minor subumbilical pediatric surgery: a comparison of levobupivacaine alone and levobupivacaine plus sufentanil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the postoperative analgesic efficacy and duration of analgesia after caudal levobupivacaine 0.20% with and without the addition of sufentanil 0.5 microg kg(-1).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, randomized study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  40 ASA physical status I pediatric patients, aged one to 7 years, who were scheduled for elective minor subumbilical surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were divided into two groups to receive either a single caudal injection of one mL kg(-1) levobupivacaine 0.20% (Group L) or levobupivacaine 0.20% plus sufentanil 0.5 microg kg(-1) (Group LS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Analgesia (Children and Infants Postoperative Pain Scale score), motor block (Motor Blockade Scoring), and side effects were assessed at predetermined time points during the first 24 postoperative hours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Children and Infants Postoperative Pain Scale scoring at the first hour was significantly lower in Group LS than in Group L. No significant differences were found between the two groups for pain scores at two, three, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12, and 24 hours. Degree of motor block was comparable between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effect of adding sufentanil to caudal levobupivacaine on postoperative pain scores is brief after elective minor subumbilical surgery in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, University of Selcuk of Meram Medicine Faculty, Konya, Turkey. atillaerol@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Atilla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Erol
authors.forename: Aybars
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tavlan
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tuncer
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Topal
authors.forename: Müslim
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yurtcu
authors.forename: Ruhiye
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reisli
authors.forename: Seref
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Otelcioglu
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000763:Anesthesia, Caudal / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000077554:Levobupivacaine; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D017409:Sufentanil; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000077554:Levobupivacaine; D017409:Sufentanil; D002045:Bupivacaine